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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  #16  
Old 28 Jan 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stretcher Monkey
Listen whacker, forget the , if you ever jack it all in, stop talking about and actually DO that trip, I'll buy you a case


Give me the money and im gone tomorrow. Iv had to dig my way out of 7k of debt and now im saving £600 a month.

Im living with my crazy mother and overeating sister just to pay debt and save the money to get away . Im border line suicidal. I deserve a fooking medal.

Mines a case of Starophramen please
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  #17  
Old 28 Jan 2007
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Oh mate...

Listen, forget suicide, just get some credit cards, book a flight and come to Locombia - Santa Marta, sun´s cracking the flags, the Club Colombia is ice cold, and there's a case of it waiting for you. A chica too! How's the weather in Liddypol?

No, you kiss my arse.
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For a week, or several centuries?
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What does it mean to say “forever”? - Pablo Neruda
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  #18  
Old 28 Jan 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stretcher Monkey
Listen, forget suicide, just get some credit cards, book a flight and come to Locombia - Santa Marta, sun´s cracking the flags, the Club Colombia is ice cold, and there's a case of it waiting for you. A chica too! How's the weather in Liddypol?

No, you kiss my arse.
Man your so right but I wont feel free if I'm still paying bills in this country, especially with no job. I want money before I go, not stress about accumulating bills I cant pay

Liverpool is cold, wet, miserable and windy.. Just like in the Summer
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  #19  
Old 29 Jan 2007
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Cool

As I flogged my way through a three year degree, working night shifts to pay the bills, I stuck up pictures above my desk of what I wanted, it really helped.
get a picture of the bike (or truck!) you want, pictures of the places you want to go, the people you want to meet and use the time to plan, it will keep you going through the hard times when your mums having a go about the washing up and your sister has emptied the fridge of all it's edible contents!!
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  #20  
Old 29 Jan 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by moggy 1968
As I flogged my way through a three year degree, working night shifts to pay the bills, I stuck up pictures above my desk of what I wanted, it really helped.
get a picture of the bike (or truck!) you want, pictures of the places you want to go, the people you want to meet and use the time to plan, it will keep you going through the hard times when your mums having a go about the washing up and your sister has emptied the fridge of all it's edible contents!!
I am doing and have done the above right now

I find cheap wine helps more
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Last edited by *Touring Ted*; 4 Feb 2007 at 11:18.
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  #21  
Old 3 Feb 2007
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tastes better than meths, even strips paint better!!
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  #22  
Old 26 Mar 2007
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Fear of the unknown

I think the secret for those of us that are not retired to be able to accomplish our goals of traveling is to overcome the fear of the unknown. Why don't we just go for it? Fear of what bad could happen. "I'm giving up a good job and don't know what I would return to". "What if something happens on the road and I don't have $5000 sitting in the bank?". Fear is the mind killer.

Truly, what is the worst thing that can happen? I have lived abroad many years and done many things in my life. I have known so many people that had nothing but a hut to live in, barely any food, and NO work, but were unbelievably happy. I have known far more on the opposite end of that spectrum.

Do what you can afford. Do what you can't afford. There is always a solution.

Good luck!
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  #23  
Old 28 Mar 2007
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You will get a job

Stevie

I'm suspecting that when you say you "work with the police" you are not a police officer but in an admin role of some sort? If that is so look around the office and ask yourself who is the newest starter? Where did they come from? Who was last to leave (not retire)? Where did they go? Do you hear from leavers and do they regret leaving or are they glad? (If I'm wrong and you are a police officer (1) I apologise, and (2) you have a very transferrable skill.)

You will then see that there is staff turnover in any job as people change companies/ areas or even careers.

When you get back from your trip you will still have the experience you have today plus the personal growth that comes from the trip, so if your current employer won't have you back, someone else will. I've found very little age discrimination (at 47) and it's a big enough world that there will always be another employer. If you hate the job as you say, you may want to change direction anyway, and you will be able to.

Plan:

Younger daughter leaves school
Short motorcycle ride: Nordcap, St Petersburg, South to Greece, north through Italy and home. Back to work.

It won't be fast as we'll take time to see where we visit and to smell the flowers
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  #24  
Old 4 Apr 2007
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before it's gone.......

Everybody who I talk to from HU says exactly the same advice as you've got Stevie, Go Now!!! (but not yet -see below)

I'm hitting 60 this year and have had a BIG life change that shook me to the core. All the years of planning, all the training, all the scrimping and saving for that armchair, pipe and slippers, gone in a few weeks courtesy of Big C. Now, alone, I look around and see that tomorrow sometimes never comes. I took chances, changed jobs many times and careers 4 times to better myself and get more enjoyment from my job, in the end it is ashes in my mouth, but it did rock and roll sometimes.. My eldest brother on the other hand had one job for 35years, now sits in with his pipe and slippers watching mindless quiz games on tv and says, 'I wish I had had interesting jobs like you? FFS he thinks my boring life was exciting!!!!!!!!!

Check this vision of mine for the not to distant future.
At last a good nights sleep in a decent neighborhood, boy if your friends could have seen some of the sights you've witnessed these last few months on your trip around the world. Some people still don't speak English for God sake, despite the Microsoft money being poured in! Well your mobile phone/tv/translator took care of those few aboriginols who refuse to learn Western Speak.(c) microsoft. Still the Ford/BMW Electrobike purred along without a hitch. The solar panels and odd municipal recharge kept her going all the way. Suzie, your Garmin Guide, never set a foot wrong, every direction was just perfect, and those Exxon Lodges seemed to have been sited as if they knew the range of the bike along the Google South American Touring Trail. The views of the Andies, breathtaking, and because you timed the trip so right, only a few thousand other moto tourists around you each day. Now, when your boss asks you the scariest part of your trip, he'll be amazed at your ability to handle emergencies, the way that download of your passport wouldn't load in Thailand would be enough to scare the shyt out of anyone.........

Go soon before you get dragged under by mediocrity - but not just yet - let me have some of the world to myself first.

And remember, the man who gives you a job is not thinking of you, he's using you and thinking of himself, so what you gonna look at, the grindstone or the mountains?
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  #25  
Old 4 Apr 2007
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I always intended to retire early... but a car crash wrecked my knee and bumpstarted the process.
so we downsized and moved to france.. without any pension. the first two years here were some of the happiest for a long while. sadly I got rear ended by a lorry load of pigs and it wrecked the same knee but differently.
Neverthe less i would hate to have to go back to work. I can tell you now, the only thing stopping you from doing what you want is you. actually makingthe first move is the hard bit. Looking back through my life, the few regrets I have are things I did not do, not things I did. When you come to cash in your chips, only your memories have any value.
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  #26  
Old 12 Apr 2007
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I am curious on other's opinions on this topic. I am new to this board, but it seems like a great community.


Essentially, my plan is to work enough to save enough so that I do not have to do this job any more and can travel, etc. I know that is what several of you guys do as well.

My question to each of you is this: how long would you work to save money? For that reason, it is always tempting to say to myself: "Work one more year and save another bunch of cash. Each year you work gets you another 3 or 4 years off in the future." But when do you say that it is enough.

I should also add that I am young (in my 30s) and have a wife and kids (school age). That means I am not taking off for two years straight on a RTW right now anyway. I could, though, take a few months. But how long do you put off your dreams?

Last edited by EarlIV; 5 Apr 2011 at 14:44.
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  #27  
Old 12 Apr 2007
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Grow

1 option I see in your circumstance is for your company to grow. Take on a couple of junior partners that can keep things going while you take travel breaks.

Just a thought.

Rick
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  #28  
Old 12 Apr 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EarlIV View Post
I am curious on other's opinions on this topic. I am new to this board, but it seems like a great community.

Here is my situation.

I am attorney and I have my own firm. Unfortunately, it is really just a job to me. In other words, it is not something I love. I spend a lot of my time fantasizing about giving up this job and just traveling. The problem is that I cannot take more than about 1 week off at any one time because I will not only lose money (because I only earn while I work), but I have court dates, client calls to return, etc. This means that I cannot even take a few months off to explore, rejuvenate, etc. and come back and hit the grindstone and make more money.

Now there is a part of me (a very wise part), that tells me that life is simply too short to spend time doing what you do not love. This part tells me to just quit, travel and experience life. Spend time not dreading the client calls and trying to figure out other people's problems.

But here is the rub. I make very good money. I hesitate to get too specific, but let's say that it is multiple six figures. If I stopped my practice, however, all my clients would leave and I would be starting from zero when I got back. It has taken me 10 or so years to build up this client base.As you all know, though, making money does not make your job more fulfilling.


Essentially, my plan is to work enough to save enough so that I do not have to do this job any more and can travel, etc. I know that is what several of you guys do as well.

My question to each of you is this: how long would you work to save money? I think to myself that there are a lot of people that would love to make as much money as I do. Some people could live whole years on the road for what I make in month. For that reason, it is always tempting to say to myself: "Work one more year and save another bunch of cash. Each year you work gets you another 3 or 4 years off in the future." But when do you say that it is enough.

I should also add that I am young (in my 30s) and have a wife and kids (school age). That means I am not taking off for two years straight on a RTW right now anyway. I could, though, take a few months. But how long do you put off your dreams?

It all depends on how far and for how long you want to go ???

6 Grand will keep you going for 6 months in the Americas...

As a lawyer, can I asume you rake in a fair buck ??

Ed
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  #29  
Old 12 Apr 2007
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Originally Posted by tedmagnum View Post
It all depends on how far and for how long you want to go ???

6 Grand will keep you going for 6 months in the Americas...

As a lawyer, can I asume you rake in a fair buck ??

Ed

That is really the essence of my question. You can see from my post that I make quite a bit. It has taken me a good ten years to get this far. I know right now I could quit and live comfortably for a few years, but at the end of it, I would have to go back to work making about 1/5 of what I am making now.

So the issue is: how long do I try and make this kind of good money?
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  #30  
Old 12 Apr 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Riq View Post
1 option I see in your circumstance is for your company to grow. Take on a couple of junior partners that can keep things going while you take travel breaks.

Just a thought.

Rick
That is a thought I have had, but, unfortunately, it isn't practical. Junior partners start taking off with your clients if you are not around.
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